Many business and professional men and other persons carry in their pocket a small telephone-address book or memo book in which they record persons' names, addresses, telephone numbers and other information to which they refer from time to time. In the same telephone-address book or in an appointment book they may record appointments, schedules or agenda of things they need to do at particular times on particular dates in the future.
Keeping records in this manner is a somewhat tedious and laborious task. The names, addresses, telephone numbers, appointments, etc. must be written in by hand. Unless they are alphabetically or chronologically arranged, it may be difficult to find the information which is desired at any particular time. Keeping information in alphabetical order in a bound notebook is difficult, particularly when changes or additions are subsequently to be made. A looseleaf notebook has the advantage that pages may be changed or added, but the disadvantages that it is usual bulkier and heavier and pages are apt to tear out.
In recent years many business and professional men and other persons have acquired pocket calculators which they frequently carry with them for use whenever calculations are to be made. While such pocket calculators are highly convenient and very useful for the intended purpose, they are not capable of replacing the usual pocket directory or memo book. Although some pocket calculators include a "memory" which is capable of storing under code numbers several items, for example numerical functions that are to be used in subsequent calculations, they do not have the facility for storing under persons' names the respective telephone numbers and addresses, or for storing appointments or agenda under respective dates and times.
There are, of course, computers which are capable of storing and retrieving vast amounts of information. However, these are not of a size to be carried in the pocket. On the contrary, they vary from desk size to room size depending on their capacity and functions to be performed. Moreover, they are general purpose machines which require a trained operator, in contrast with the electronic pocket directory of the present invention which is dedicated to a particular function and is simple to operate.